These Stories We Share
by Keynn
Summary: Ichigo's story is displayed for the world, but behind the scenes other characters are living their lives as well. A collection of one-shots that catch a few other character's side stories. Chapter 3 - Kaien
1. Hanatarou

**Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach**

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><p><strong>These Stories We Share - Present and Previous<strong>

_Hanatarou and _Seinosuke__

Seventh seat Yamada Hanatarou of division four was walking around the sewage system. Not the best way to spend a day he had to admit, but missions were missions whether they be the order of Unahana-taichou or his own special endeavors. Hanatarou sat on the slick floor of the passageway he alone occupied, and ignoring his surroundings, pulled out a sandwich for himself and a strange clear liquid substance, which he set down across from him at a fair distance, and began eating.

While he chewed he watched the liquid in the container before him. It was his own special creation, with the help of Rin, who'd been able to get a sample substance from Hueco Mundo when neither of them were there, and who'd done something or another that Hanatarou was sure he'd never understand to make the substance that now sat before him. It was food. . .for a hollow.

"You're early." A voice sounded, echoing along the corridor. Hanatarou jump slightly before looking to the owner and grinning.

"Unahana-taichou had nothing for my group to do for awhile, so I came quickly."

Yamada Seinosuke nodded, setting a white-masked dog looking creature in front of the liquid hollow food. It wasted no time burring it's face in the bowl, and through a process Hanatarou couldn't understand, the mask began absorbing the substance.

"He looks better!" Hanatarou smiled as Seinosuke came to sit beside him, stealing the remainder of his sandwich as he did so. Hanatarou was about to make a move to get it back, but a push on the forehead by his older brother cost him his balance and by the time he'd gotten over the shock and shot back to the sitting position Seinosuke was already eating. Hanatarou sighed.

"You should work on your reflexes." Seinosuke noted, taking another bite. Hanatarou nodded, his eyes downcast.

"I know." He stated. Seinosuke stopped chewing to stare at his younger brother.

"-and get some confidence, it's embarrassing to watch you mope all the time." Behind the rough words Hanatarou could hear the tinge of brotherly affection that would have been vacant had the older Yamada been talking to anyone other than him. His brother was a bit ill-tempered, if one could phrase it that way. Though due to past events the only people that even knew that fact about him were those who'd been around a century prior when Seinosuke had been the fourth division's fukutaichou, and no one talked about those days. Most refused to acknowledge their existence, along with the existence of the Vizards, or the betrayal of Aizen, or the Winter War for that matter, and like all the mess ups on the part of Seireitei, Seinosuke had become a taboo to the current way of life and along with all the other taboos, he'd faded into nonexistence. Seinosuke finished the sandwich and turned to the spaced-out Hanatarou. "What're you thinking about?" He asked, curiosity overcoming his features. Hanatarou grinned up at him, but it was strained and didn't quiet reach his eyes. "Well?"

"Just thinking about back when you were fukutaichou." Hanatarou muttered, laughing nervously. Seinosuke chuckled, placing his palm on top of Hanatarou's head and pushing himself into standing, Hanatarou scrunched his eyes shut, and tried to smooth his messy hair back into order. "Do you miss it?" He asked. Seinosuke scratched his neck and grinned.

"No, not really. All of Seireitei was blind, and I knew that from the moment I became a shinigami. When they sentenced me to death for healing their foes, who were not foes, only tarnished allys, I knew it was time I left. As a member of the fourth division, Hanatarou-chan, it is your duty to help anyone you believe needs your help and will not betray your kindness. Unahana-taichou taught me that, and it would seem she taught _you_ that also." He picked up the hollow puppy and lifted him high enough to look at it's underbelly. The puppy squirmed, but didn't complain too much - full and happy - and Seinosuke was able to show Hanatarou the partially healed wound that ran the length of the puppies belly. "It was good of you to bring him to me, I know your division isn't trained to heal hollows, but he should be better soon." Seinosuke stated. Hanatarou smiled a large smile at the two, and stood, stumbling to hug his brother.

"Thank you o-nii-chan!" He grinned. Seinosuke pushed him off lightly and muttered a 'sure,' turning around in the process.

"I'll see you soon, Hanatarou-chan, now get back to your duties before you get yourself into trouble. I'll take the puppy back with me, and keep an eye on him." And with the next step Seinosuke had shunpoed away. Hanatarou brushed off some dust and grinned, stumbling back down to the corridor until he came to the latter that would lead him back to the streets of the fourth division's quarters.

Seinosuke had been an unfortunate victim in the early days of Aizen's deceit, before anyone was aware of what was in store, for trying to heal the hollowed forms of the investigative group before the ninth division was instructed to find them. When a shinigami became a hollow, however, they were immediately exiled and meant to be killed. When one goes against these wishes, they are ordered to be killed as well.

Hanatarou stepped into the sun light, walked two steps and tripped over his feet. Across the street some eleventh division shinigami laughed, but Hanatarou stood and found himself laughing along, it was a good day. He would smile.

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><p><em>Yes, Seinosuke is a real character, and yes, he is actually Hanatarou's brother. . . he's only mentioned one I think. Anyways; I've got a bunch of spare time on my hands and there are so many Bleach minor characters, so I thought it'd be cool to write a one-shot for a few of them. No one is excluded from my 'maybe' list except for Ichigo - since the plot is centered on him, and you pretty much know his life story. :P Obviously I started with Hanatarou and Seinosuke. I love Hanatarou, he's so innocently adorable.<em>

_Enjoy! And tell me if there are mistakes and whatnot. _


	2. Byakuya

**Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach **

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><p><strong>These Stories We Share<strong>

_Byakuya _

Behind the stoic muscles of Kuchiki Byakuya's debatably botoxed face a war of thoughts were being waged, and in an episode of uncharacteristic twitching Byakuya's second-in-command, the young Abarai Renji-Fukutaichou was subjected to a sight no one had previously seen or seen since in the sixth division taichou's demeanor.

Renji later named the episode 'the Shihōin twitch' and was promptly chased out of the division headquarters in a thin flurry of pink petals and pleasant smells, and though Byakuya was not keen on the term, he could not debate that it held a reasonable amount of truth for the action it had been commemorated to.

The day it had happened Byakuya had been enjoying tea, taking care to manage matters of the Kuchiki clan, checking in on his sister in the world of the living, and reading the mail that had just arrived. Renji had just walked into the office after lunch. Byakuya was anti-social, he knew, and often skipped lunch for the more mundane part of living, since his taichou, it was decided, had no real life or any comprehension of the words _fun_ or _break_. He'd said something along the lines of 'back, taichou' and when he didn't receive an answer. . .or a job that needed to be done, he'd looked back up to see Byakuya holding a piece of paper with some ornate scribble on it and a little inscription that informed the addresser, and Renji, that it was from Yoruichi Shihōin with the Shihōin stamp placed next to the words for good measure. That is when the face twitching took place. Renji was surprised that not only had Byakuya's left eyebrow started twitching, but that both brows together had formed a sinister 'V' shape where they met and that his taichou's lips curved ever so slightly at the tips. Renji had taken a step back, confused as to whether his taichou had gone mad, was annoyed to the point of wanting to laugh in absurdity, or was blood thirsty. That all three were virtually unthought of in the elder Kuchiki, however, had Renji turn tail and run before he was the victim of whatever Byakuya would do as clarification.

Byakuya sat down the formal looking letter, letting his eye roam over the two words that were written within and having steeled his facial muscles once more into a placid, emotionless wall, he stood and in the next instant the office was vacant.

_You're it._

**.:.::.:.**

"I was beginning to think you wouldn't show up!" Yoruichi grinned from the tree she was occupying in the wooded area outside the sixth division's barracks.

"Of course." Byakuya drawled, the wind rushed past his body and picked up the ends of his haori, scarf and hair as Yoruichi touched the ground behind him.

"Try and catch me then" she crooned, and as Byakuya turned to face her the dust kicked and he found himself searching the treetops for the bright orange of her outfit.

"I believe Kisuke Urhara is wearing off on you." He stated, shunpoing toward the flash of orange in the tree to his side. Yoruichi laughed, appearing in the tree across from him. She steady herself on the bark and cocked her head in the feline way that accompanied her interesting abilities so well.

"Oh? And why do you say that Little Byakuya?"

Byakuya flinched at the name, but made no outward trace of annoyance, and he could tell this annoyed Yoruichi, which was all the more reason for remaining as such.

"You're beginning to sound like him." He jumped forward, sure that he would be able to catch her, but just as he did so, she jumped down, landing with a small _thump_ on the compacted earth bellow. He followed her, and after several failed attempts found himself back on the dirt, staring into the trees once more.

"I hope that's not true, for the sake and sanity of everyone else." Byakuya could here the grin in her voice. "Kisuke is, after all, one of a kind." Byakuya was about to follow the voice when an elegantly placed foot landed on the top of his head and he turned in a fit of annoyance and rage to see Yoruichi behind him, arms crossed, with a cat-like smirk making it's way across her lips. "Now there's the little Byakuya I knew so well!" Yoruichi laughed, and Byakuya was forced to check himself. He righted his shoulders and glared at her in a way that brought nostalgic deja-vu back to Yoruichi, she grinned at him. "You've still yet to catch me." She reminded, and the two were at it again.

It had been a game of Yoruichi's to pick as many fights as she thought she could with Byakuya while he chased her, and though she knew it would be easy to make him tick simply by informing him that their training his shunpo to her level meant that he was degrading his pride, she didn't want to bruise the man's ego like she'd enjoyed doing so much while he was still a teenager. Still, to see the normally unflinching taichou bend to her teasing was a humorous thing, and so rare even with her best attempts at him.

Lost in thought, Yoruichi just barely noticed when Byakuya appeared behind her, and with a smirk she side-stepped him.

"Close." She informed. Byakuya's lip twitched downward for a moment before he nodded at her, dropping the hand he'd meant to tag her with.

"Perhaps next time." He stated. Yoruichi nodded.

"As for today, I think we're done. Places to be, people to stalk." She grinned. Byakuya simply looked on, upset that he'd been unable to catch her, yet again. The annoyance gnawed at him until finally he broke and glared down at her, she grinned back. "I'll contact you again when I'm available Litte Byakuya." She teased and like air she had vanished.

And like a virus, the twitching returned.

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><p><em>I did Byakuya~ xP I think I'm going to Rikichi next :P<em>


	3. Kaien

**Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach**

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><p><strong>These Stories We Share: In Memories, I am Immortal.<strong>

_Kaien_

In the Seireitei, death is a taboo and funny word. In Soul Society, the dead walk freely, and happily and that is the end. They are immortal. In Seireitei, the dead shinigami who roam it can enter even further into oblivion, killed in battle until they are not even an embodied soul anymore. Just a memory. An odd memory at that, though because memories do not have thoughts, feelings, cannot move, relocate, or become something other than what they are: A memory. . . Usually. The memory of a soul is not the memory of a mind, though, and so a shinigami who is no longer a soul is a memory, and for Kaien, this is exactly where he lingers.

Today he went to the thirteenth division for the first time since his death, he'd been trying to avoid it for a while, because where a memory goes so too do recollections, and he was afraid that maybe his division would not be able to move to happy memories when he visited and he would throw them into depression. Still, he wanted to be back home. And home for him, was the thirteenth.

He first found Captain Ukitake talking about promoting Kuchiki Rukia to Captain Kyoraku Shunsui, and when Kaien came to his office, Ukitake's first recollection was of Shiba Kaien, the Lieutenant who so perfectly balanced the loony-ness of his division. Kaien scoffed.

_"I'd say it was more like giving _life_ to our little family." _He grinned in Ukitake's ear. Ukitake laughed, not knowing why, and continued on.

"Rukia will make an excellent Lieutenant, I think. I've gone so long without one since Kaien. . . and Rukia has proved more than capable."

Kaien crossed his arms, leaning against the wall and nodded, listening on.

"I think your little Rukia will be honored," said Shunsui "Kaien taught her after all, she idolizes him." Neither seemed to notice the present tense use of 'idolize,' in their conversation, and if they had - knowing what it meant to speak of the past in present - they would have known Kaien was grinning behind them, nodding enthusiastically.

_"She's got my vote." _Kaien stated, pushing off the wall, walking past the two older men and _through_ the door. He could briefly hear Ukitake's last comment "I feel like Kaien would want this."

And he did.

When Kaien ran into Kiyone and Sentarō, Kiyone had stopped for a moment and Sentarō had run, ungracefully, into her back.

"Why'd you stop!" He yelled. Kiyone huffed at him.

"Well _excuse_ _me!"_ She yelled back, whirling around to face him. Kaien halted at the fiasco, chuckling, and decided he'd like to see what they recalled. "-I was just being the best third-seat in the world and thinking about Kaien-Fukutaichou, not that _you_ would." She pretended to think for a moment then said, "he liked me more anyways is really all I'm saying." Kiyone grinned in superiority and began walking again.

"That's not true!" Sentarō hollared. "Kaien-Fukutaichou and me had a food eating contest one time, I'll bet he didn't do anything like that with _you_! Me and Kaien-Fukutaichou were closer is all _I'm _saying!"

Kiyone whirled around.

"Kaien-Fukutaichou was close with everyone in our division!" She stated haughtily. "But he was closest to Miyako, _of course_. They were inseparable, and Rukia, and then me, and then everyone else. . .and then maybe you." She smiled, running off as Sentarō gave chase.

"Yeah, well. . . Ukitake-Taichou likes me more than you so ha!" He yelled after her.

Kaien laughed.

_"Funny aren't they?"_

Kaien turned around, giving a grin that was anything but small.

_"They've always been like that Miyako."_ He stated. Miyako smiled warmly.

_"You're right, I guess I just miss hearing it everyday." _She stated.

_"Yeah, I understand that." _There was a pause as they both began walking down the hallway to the thirteenth's gardens. "_I'm glad their recollections are good ones now." _He stated off handedly after awhile. _"How have yours been?"_

_ "All very nice."_ Miyako smiled, _"As they have been for a while."_

_"Have you. . .seen Rukia yet?"_ Kaien asked. Miyako nodded as they neared the door and, sliding it open, she offered her hand out to the world.

_"Your turn now buttercup."_ She joked, and as Kaien's eyes followed her hand's movement he saw a small black-haired girl standing by the edge of the koi pond. _"And of course you'll be telling me all about it when you're done." _She laughed good naturally at him. Kaien nodded, shooting her a crooked smile and ventured toward the girl.

"Fukutaichou. . ." Rukia muttered, running her hand up and down the badge of her new position. "Kaien-dono," She turned toward her side. Kaien smiled down at her as she stared at nothingness "Would you be proud?" She asked. She was silent for a moment before chuckling softly, dropping her voice she tried to imitate Kaien's masculine voice "what's with the sour face Kuchiki? Be proud!" Kaien cracked a grin, raising his hand to muse her hair before relizing the impossibility of it.

_"Of course I'm proud of you dummy. I gave you the essence of my heart, if you didn't do something productive with it what a waist it would have been!" _Kaien laughed, and beside him Rukia found herself laughing at the silliness of being the newest thirteenth division fukuaichou.

_"I'll be coming back more often."_ Kaien vowed. _"I miss the thirteenth."_

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><p><em> I really wish Kaien was still around :(<em>


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